Blind Owl Band has gear stolen in Buffalo

October 24, 2013

SARANAC LAKE - Local favorites the Blind Owl Band had their wings clipped last night when all their instruments were stolen in Buffalo.

Someone broke into the band's trailer after a show at Buffalo's Sportsman's Tavern. Eric Munley, the band's mandolin player, told the Enterprise this morning that after the gig, the band packed the trailer and went out for a drink with friends they were staying with in Buffalo. When they returned around 2 a.m., they found the trailer door wide open and everything inside gone: stand-up bass, mandolin, banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass amp head and all their merchandise.

"Worst news ever," the band said in a Facebook post around 4:30 a.m., reporting the theft. "Our livelihoods have been taken from us. Stunned."

Article Photos

The Blind Owl Band plays outside a house in Saranac Lake for a video shoot in July. From left are Eric Munley, James Ford, Arthur Buezo and Christian Cardiello.(Enterprise photo — Peter Crowley)

Munley said they have valued the stolen goods at $12,000 to $14,000 altogether. They have reported the theft to city police and plan to help detectives by checking each pawn shop in the city for their instruments, which they would recognize.

"It's not a like a computer where it's in with a million other computers," he said.

The Blind Owl Band tours extensively, but this was their first time playing in Buffalo.

"It was actually a great venue, great show, great friends - and we got screwed," Munley said.

The band is scheduled to perform on nine the next 16 days, including Nov. 2 at the Waterhole in Saranac Lake. In the Facebook post, the band said they "hope to make as many upcoming gigs as we can, and find the answers we need to pull us through this situation."